Delays proceed to pile up for a prison contempt trial involving protesters towards the Trans Mountain pipeline growth, who have been supposed to start opening statements on Monday in Kamloops.
Romily Cavanaugh, Henry Sauls, April Thomas and Jocelyn Pierre with the Secwepemc Unity Camp to Cease the Trans Mountain Pipeline allegedly breached a court-ordered injunction towards obstructing entry to the corporate’s worksites on Oct. 15, 2020, round Mission Flats Highway throughout work hours.
The 4 are defending themselves, however solely Pierre and Sauls (also referred to as Secwépemc hereditary Chief Sawses) have been in a position to attend court docket on Monday for the five-day trial, resulting in an adjournment till the primary week of April by justice Shelley Fitzpatrick.
Cavanaugh, who's from the Decrease Mainland, was not in attendance as she is coping with a member of the family’s medical state of affairs whereas Thomas reportedly has COVID-19, the court docket heard.
In court docket on Monday, Sauls and Pierre additionally requested an software for a keep of proceedings over insufficient disclosure of paperwork, however justice Fitzpatrick denied that as a result of no written submission had been made and Thomas confirmed final week disclosures have been obtained two months in the past.
Fitzpatrick stated disclosures have been an ongoing challenge which have already been addressed quite a few occasions, including the Crown can solely disclose what police have offered to make a case.
The trial, together with a separate one involving members of the Secwepemc protest group, was delayed twice final 12 months with the protection efficiently making use of to adjourn proceedings, elevating points over disclosures and problems from wildfire season in the summertime and flooding final fall.
Whereas Monday’s continuing has been adjourned a 3rd time, the opposite trial stays scheduled for March.
The Secwepemc Unity Camp to Cease the Trans Mountain Pipeline arrange an encampment alongside the seashore of the Thompson River in October 2020 close to Trans Mountain’s worksite off Mission Flats Highway simply west of the Domtar pulp mill.
From that website, employees have been feathering the twinned pipeline beneath the Thompson River to a spot close to the Kamloops Airport — a undertaking that has since been accomplished.
Video posted to social media on the time confirmed what seemed to be Cavanaugh and Sauls tied to a fence on the worksite entrance and Thomas and Pierre climbing on excavation tools throughout the street.